1. Introduction to Psychology
Chapter 1

2. Chapter Overview Describe Psychology Research methods of Psychology
Goals of Psychology
Fields of Psychology
Research methods of Psychology
Experiments within Psychology
Important people of Psychology

3. What is Psychology?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Scientists use the SCIENTIFIC METHOD to be unbiased.

4. Psychologists seek to observe, describe, explain, predict, and modify behavior and mental processes
Psychologists rely on research to learn whether certain methods will work before they use them to help people

5. Goals of Psychology 4 Goals of Psychology
Description – describe particular behaviors by careful observations
Explanation – explain behaviors by conducting experiments
Prediction – predict when a behavior that is being studied will happen in the future
Control – modify inappropriate behavior

6. Psychologists work in many different fields but they all focus on studying and explaining behavior and mental processes
Behavior is defined as any action that people can observe or measure, such as walking, talking, sleeping, and eating

7. Fields of Psychology
Psychologists specialize in several different areas of practice:
Clinical: general health, mental health, child health
Counseling: business or education institutions
Sport psychology: athletes
Experimental psychology: humans, animals
Cognitive psychology: learning
Developmental psychology: changes in people’s lives

8. Real World Example
In 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals employed the services of a sports psychologist to meet with players, coaches and staff members.
The Cardinals won the World Series in 2006.
Do you think the psychologist made a difference?

9. Sports psychologists can help athletes improve performance by measuring (through experimentations) athletes’ heart rates and other body processes and by interviewing athletes
Psychologists predict that athletes perform best when anxiety is moderate
Psychologists help athletes control their behavior and mental processes by teaching them how to control anxiety.

10. Psychological Professionals

11. Fields of Psychology There are 9 fields of Psychology Structuralism
Functionalism
Psychoanalytical/Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Humanistic
Cognitive
Neuroscience/biopsychology
Evolutionary
Sociocultural
Hand out Organizer

12. The “Father of Modern Psychology”
1879
Wilhelm Wundt
Founded first psychology lab in Germany (1879)
Associated with the Structuralism field of Psychology

13. 1. Structuralism
Focused primarily on investigation of thought processes (The structure of the mind)

14. 2. Functionalism Founded by William James
How do people function in the real world?
Studied how people work, play, and adapt to their surroundings.
He was influenced by Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
Not just physical adaptations, but mental/behavioral ones as well.

15. 3. Psychoanalytical/Psychodynamic
Founded by Sigmund Freud
Psychoanalysis: Examines psychological problems that are presumed to be caused by conflicts.
People repressed (pushed away) their feelings to an unconscious part of the mind, leading to nervous disorders.

16. History Lesson
Freud lived in the Victorian Era (Late 1800s – Early 1900s)
Society never spoke of sex.
Even tables were surrounded by cloth, as to not show the legs
Though men often had mistresses, women had to repress their feelings.
Many sought Freud’s help.

17. 4. Behavioral Lead by Ivan Pavlov
Pavlov’s Dogs – Dogs salivated at the sound of a bell because a bell was rung each time they were fed.
Classical Conditioning
Observing behavior through scientific method
Other notable behavioral psychologists
B. F. Skinner - believed behavior depends on what happens are people are exposed to a “stimulus”
John Watson - believed people have 3 reactions: fear, rage, love

18. 5. Humanistic
Stresses free will, self actualization and positive growth seeking nature of humans
Leaders:
Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers
Emphasis on human potential. Be the best you can be!

19. 6. Cognitive
Researches areas of thought, perception and information processing
1960s

20. 7. Neuroscience/biopsychology
Explores the role of biological factors such as genetics in humans (scientific)
For example, Schizophrenia is being studied as a potential psychological disorder that is linked to genetics

21. 8. Evolutionary
Focuses on natural selection, adaptation, and evolution of behavior

22. 9. Sociocultural
Combination of social and cultural psych, focusing on social interactions, cultural determinants, and mental processes
Social: Studies groups, social roles, and rules of social actions, and relationships
Cultural: Study of social norms, values, and expectations

23. Biopsychosocial Model
An integrative model combining the seven major perspectives in contemporary psychology
Structuralism and Functionalism are not located on the diagram. These older schools of thought have now been blended in with the other 7 schools.

24. Psychology: The Science
Psychologists follow scientific procedures similar to the way other scientists do
Research and experiments help investigate cause-and-effect relationships

25. 2 Types of Research Basic Research Applied Research
conducted to study theoretical questions without trying to solve a specific problem (general ideas or concepts)
utilizes the principles and discoveries of psychology for practical purposes (finding solutions to real world problems)

26. The Scientific Method Identify question and literature review1.
Identify question and literature review 2.
Develop a testable hypothesis 3.
Select a research method and collect data 4.
Analyze the data and accept or reject the hypothesis 5.
Publish, replicate and seek scientific review 6.
Build a theory

27. The Scientific Method

28. Ethical Guidelines
Psychologists must comply with extremely strict ethical guidelines
The American Psychological Association (APA) has published specific guidelines that must be followed

29. Ethical Guidelines (cont.)
There are three areas that are addressed by the APA
Human participants: informed consent, voluntary participation, debriefing, confidentiality, and use of students as subjects
#1 is the most rigorous guideline because it deals with the rights of people being studied
Animal Rights: cruelty to animals
Clients in therapy: confidentiality

30. Animals in Research
Only a small number of psychological studies involve animals
Psychologists use animals only when there is no alternative and when they believe the benefit outweighs the harm
Most psychological studies that use animals do not harm the animals

31. 4 Methods of Research Experimental Descriptive Correlational
Biological

32. 1. Experimental Research
The only method of the four that can identify cause and effect
Experimental research consists of several variables:
Independent Variables: factors the experimenter manipulates
Dependent Variables: measurable behaviors of the participants
Experimental controls: include control condition - participants are treated identically to participants in experimental condition, except that the independent variable is not applied to them

33. Experimental Research (cont.)
In the experimental condition: all participants are exposed to the independent variable
Experimental Group: group that receives a treatment in an experiment
Control Group: group that receives no treatment in an experiment

34. Here’s an Example

35. 2. Descriptive Research
This includes several types of studies to gather data
Naturalistic Observation: used to study behavior in its natural habitat
Surveys: tests, questionnaires, and interviews to sample a wide variety of behaviors and attitudes (must choose people carefully)
Case study: in-depth study of a single research participant

36. Surveys
Psychologists conduct surveys by asking people to fill out written questionnaires or by interviewing people verbally
By interviewing people with direct questions psychologists can get information about people’s attitudes and behaviors

37. Problems with Surveys
The findings of interviews and questionnaires may not be completely accurate because:
People may not be honest about their attitudes or behavior
People may limit their responses for privacy reasons
People may say what they think the interviewers want to hear

38. 3. Correlational Research
Allows scientists to determine the degree of relationship between variables
Positive, negative and zero correlations are discussed when using this type of research

39. Correlation in Psychology
Correlation is a major relationship within psychology
It CANNOT show a Cause and Effect Relationship
Just because two things are related does not mean one causes the other

40. 4. Biological Research The scientific study of psychology
Studies the brain and nervous system
Tests used in biological research include:
Electrical recordings of brain activity (EEG)
Computed tomography (CT)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

41. Experimental Research Correlational Research
Manipulation and control of variables
Descriptive Research
Naturalistic Observation, surveys, case studies
Correlational Research
Statistical analyses of relationships between variables
Biological Research
Studies the brain and other parts of the nervous system
Purpose
Identify cause and effect (Meets the explanation goal of psychology)
Purpose
Observe, collect, and record data (Meets the descriptive goal of psychology)
Purpose
Identify relationships and how well one variable predicts another (Meets the predictive goal)
Purpose
Identify causation, as well as description, and prediction (Meets 1 or more of the four goals)
Cons
Ethical concerns, practical limitations, artificiality of lab conditions, uncontrolled variables may confound results, researchers & participant biases
Pros
Allows researchers precise control over variables and cause & effect
Cons
Little or no control over variables, researcher & participant biases, cannot explain cause & effect
Pros
Minimizes artificiality, easier to collect data, allows description of behavior & mental processes as they occur
Cons
Researchers cannot identify cause & effect
Pros
Helps clarify relationships between variables that cannot be examined by other methods and allows prediction
Cons
Shares many or all of the cons of experimental, descriptive, and correlational research
Pros
Shares many or all of the pros of experimental, descriptive, and correlational research
Hand out organizer.

42. Critical Thinking Making reasoned judgments
Most “truths” need to be tested
All evidence is not equal in quality
Just because an expert said it, doesn’t mean it’s true
Keep an open mind

43. Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt psychology is an alternative to behaviorism and structuralism
It is based on the idea that our perceptions of objects are more than the sum of their parts. They are wholes that give shape, or meaning, to the parts
Gestalt Psychology aims to organize how the mind organizes pieces of information into meaningful wholes
It was developed by German psychologists Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler